Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has raised alarm over the Nigerian Army’s lack of modern equipment to effectively counter increasingly tech-savvy terrorist groups operating in the northeast. Speaking during an interview on News Central’s Breakfast Central, Zulum said insurgents now deploy sophisticated tools such as drones, giving them a tactical edge over poorly equipped government forces.
“The army does not have the necessary equipment on ground to fight the insurgency. A few days ago, I visited the Chief of Army Staff—he said if he had just 32 drones, he could end this insurgency,” Zulum said. “We must prioritise security. Both national and subnational governments need to pool resources together for equipment procurement.”
The Borno governor also called for the removal of bureaucratic bottlenecks hampering the acquisition of military hardware and urged President Bola Tinubu to rely on accurate ground intelligence and professional military advice rather than political sycophancy.
Zulum further warned that insecurity in Borno State—and by extension, the country—cannot be resolved through military force alone. He advocated for a combined approach that includes socio-political and economic strategies.
“Insurgency will never be ended by kinetic measures alone. We must implement non-kinetic measures—addressing the socio-economic root causes of the crisis,” he said. “Among the 300,000 or more that have repented, I cannot rule out the possibility that a few may return to the bush.”
In a more damning revelation, Zulum accused some members of the Nigerian Armed Forces, politicians, and local communities of acting as informants and collaborators for Boko Haram. “We have informants and collaborators within the Nigerian Armed Forces, within the politicians, and within the communities. What we shall do is strengthen our intelligence and deal with them ruthlessly.”
Despite his criticism, the governor commended the military for supporting peace-building efforts and emphasized the need for immediate action to consolidate gains made. “Let’s remove contractocracy. In six months, we can put an end to this madness,” he asserted.
Zulum also reiterated his opposition to politicizing the security crisis. “We should not politicise insecurity. Some people claim there’s no insecurity in Borno. That’s false. Let’s be honest and work together to end it,” he said.
Borno State remains the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency, which has killed over 350,000 people and displaced millions since 2009. With renewed attacks in recent months, Zulum’s warnings highlight the urgent need for decisive and coordinated action to restore peace in the region.
